Florida man found dead near bee colony

MIAMI, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- A 61-year-old South Florida man was found dead Tuesday after working on a roof near a colony of thousands of bees, police said.

A medical examination will determine whether the death of 61-year-old Jorge Luis Acosta was caused by bee stings, a fall or a heart attack, the Miami Herald reported.

Acosta may have disturbed a bee hive on the roof of the Miami-Dade apartment complex where he was working.

Capt. Jeffrey Fobb of the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Venom Response Unit said it was not clear why Acosta was working with the bees. Neighbors have complained about a beehive for the past 18 months, Fobb said.

Acosta was about 50 feet from a large colony that contained an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 bees, Fobb said.

The victim's head and upper torso were covered with protective gear but not the rest of his body.